Beldaran
by Aqsa
Summary: the untold story of what happened during Beldaran's pregnancy. r/r plz! thanx. ***FINISHED***
1. A Scream

The wind blew like a wild animal on the loose in the noon of spring. The rains had come and  
  
passed, and the cold hardness of the frost gone out of the ground as the suns soft touch  
  
warmed the damp brown fields that lay open to the sky, covered only by a faint green flush as  
  
the first young and sensitive shoots emerged from their winters sleep. In that noon day, off in  
  
the Sea of the Winds, a ship sailed, seeming to be merry in it's own way as it danced in the  
  
crystal blue waves.  
  
On the ship, besides the sailors and Capitan, there were three passengers. One was an old  
  
man, his short beard and hair were iron gray, and his eyes were icy blue. His two daughters,  
  
who were twins, sat in the front deck, looking out and the endless sea.  
  
"Polgara." Said the golden haired beauty beside her twin sister said, not bothering to turn and  
  
look. The sun burned down at them, but they gave it no heed.  
  
Polgara looked over at her sister. "What is it Beldaran?" She touched her raven black hair, her  
  
eyes a dark blue as they looked at the other young girl.  
  
"You are not mad that father chose me?"  
  
Polgara was speechless. "M-mad?" She laughed, I'm GLAD Beldaran!"  
  
"Glad?"  
  
"Yes! I'm not fit for becoming a queen-especially for an old man!"  
  
Beldaran scowled, "Riva is NOT an old man!" Then she added, with a toss of her golden hair,  
  
"And don't talk such nonsense about my future husband!"  
  
Polgara quickly looked away, not wanting her sister to see the tears that flowed into her eyes.  
  
Beldaran looked at her sister, who used to be so ugly and skinny, but was now a young  
  
beautiful young woman, had it not been for the tangled heap of her hair upon her head "Don't  
  
cry, Polgara. For me?" Her own emerald eyes filled up with burning tears, "You'll have father  
  
and Uncle Beldin with you at the Vale When I'm gone..."  
  
Polgara laughed, "Father?" She asked, her voice choked with laughter, "The old man who is so  
  
lazy and annoying that it annoys me?"  
  
"Pol, it doesn't matter. He is our father and nothing can change that. He may be lazy and  
  
annoying, but think of it, he is a very old sorcerer!  
  
Give him some respect and he will return it."  
  
Polgara snuffed, "Respect? Forget it! If I did give it to father, he would think I'd have gone  
  
wrong in the head. It's no use Beldaran, you were and are the only one who keeps everyone  
  
away from each other's throats! Why will you leave us so soon?"  
  
Beldaran lowered her eyes. "Father says so, Pol. And when father says so, then the orders  
  
came from the Prophecy. And I know you and father will come to like each other sooner or  
  
later."  
  
With a start, Beldaran sat up in bed. What an odd dream, she thought. She looked across the  
  
bed and saw her husband, Riva Irongrip. With a gentle hand, she touched her swollen belly,  
  
then she bit her lower lip, and closed her eyes, and saw her sister again.  
  
Polgara.  
  
And father, Belgarath, of course.  
  
A tear ran down her cheek. It took her a moment to realize that she was crying out loud and  
  
that she was pressed against a large muscular chest and thick strong arms were wrapped  
  
around her, pressing her closer. Riva held her near, once in a while, bringing down his lips on  
  
her forehead to ease her.  
  
"I miss them ever so much!" She wept, clutching at Riva. He stroked her hair. It's been two  
  
years since I haven't seen them!" A little after that, she began to doze off when there  
  
suddenly came a loud scream in the hall way, right outside of their apartment.  
  
With a startled cry, Beldaran sat up, and before she was out of bed, Riva had managed to get  
  
his robe and his sword before dashing out of the room, after telling her to stay in the room.  
  
She paced the room, holding her abdomen, feeling something stir inside, then suddenly, a  
  
revolting feeling upset her stomach, she went pale, and with a frown, she turned around and  
  
ran into the other room, but she stopped short, and a startled gasp escaped her throat,  
  
"Zedar!"  
  
Not a sound escaped her throat as Zedar's shadow and body dashed towards her, a snarl upon  
  
him face. 


	2. The Locked Door

Riva Irongrip ran out into the hall, his large sword in hand. His guards all lay at his feet, dead,  
  
with blood pooled around their still bodies.  
  
"Guards!" he yelled. Stepping over a young guards body, he looked around at the empty hall.  
  
Where were the guards?  
  
Turning around, he went up to his bedroom door and tried to open it. It was stuck. "Beldaran!"  
  
He yelled, his strong voice echoing in the empty halls. "Open the door! It's me, Riva!"  
  
No answer...  
  
Frowning, he knocked at the door.  
  
Instead of a reply by his golden haired wife, he heard a muffled scream.  
  
"Beldaran!" he yelled, suddenly frightened for his wife's life. Looking around franticly, he  
  
grabbed a dead guards ax and hacked at the locked door. It seemed to take hours. Sweet  
  
rolled off his forehead and his arms ached. Again, he heard a cry, not muffled this time. In  
  
total panic, Riva hacked, making larger arcs above his head with the ax.  
  
Suddenly he slipped on the blood with his bare feet. The ax went flying out of his hands, and  
  
his palms struck the floor with great force as he tried to save his fall. Sharp pain flowed up his  
  
arms like a lightening strike. Clenching his teeth against the pain, he got back up, dripping in  
  
sticky blood.  
  
Looking up at the locked door, he cried out in protest. All the hacking he had done, was gone.  
  
The wooden door looked newly made, without a mark on it. "Beldaran!" he cried for his wife in  
  
despair.  
  
No reply...  
  
It was to quiet.  
  
The Orb suddenly flashed in his mind, hanging on top of his throne. With a determined sneer,  
  
he ran to his large throne room, and snatched the sword, and ran back to his room. The  
  
guards' bodies were gone, with no trace of them, not even the sticky blood, but what he really  
  
saw was his bedroom door. It was open.  
  
Breathing hard, Riva ran forward, "Beldaran?" he whispered softly as he entered the room.  
  
Silence...  
  
Walking into the room, with his sword ready to strike, he looked around and gasped when he  
  
saw a lock of long golden hair on the floor, looking alive as the moon's radiance shined down  
  
from the open windows. Running forward, he took the lock of hair in his large hand, and  
  
clenched it in anger. "Guards!" he yelled.  
  
***************************************************************************  
  
Beldaran, floating in a void so dark and lonely, she seemed to float in it all. Lost in a world of  
  
darkness. But one thought ran across her mind,  
  
"Riva..."  
  
Her eyes were closed, that she guessed, it was hard to tell if she was blinking at all in this  
  
darkness. With a numb hand, she reached up and grabbed her silver amulet that her father,  
  
Belgarath, had made with the help of Aldur. "Help!" she cried- or thought. "Pol! Father! Help!"  
  
Then one last thought danced into her mind.  
  
"No one can save me now.. I'm doomed 


	3. Ruined Sorceress

Polgara looked up at the tree she had come to love. Her heart raced when she thought of  
  
climbing it's branches that seemed to reach for the heavens above, but remembered the long  
  
flowing white gown her father had given her after Beldaran had gotten married.  
  
She sighed, and began to walk away from the ancient tree when she heard the birds' protests,  
  
and smiled to herself.  
  
"Maybe another time!" she called back. As she walked towards her father's plain tower, her  
  
neck and arm hairs prickled. She shivered.  
  
"Just the wind..." she whispered to herself, but no wind blew, and it was in the middle of  
  
summer, there was no coldness in the Vale.  
  
Polgara cleared her throat, and walked on, slowly. She squinted her icy blue eyes towards the  
  
tree in the sun, and saw a dark figure dart into the branches. With her beating heart seeming  
  
to climb her throat, she stopped, eyes wide.  
  
"Who's there?" she called, but received no reply. "WIND!" someone cried in the tree branches.  
  
A sudden burst of icy cold wind hit her; pushing her back and making her raven black hair  
  
push back by the fast hard wind. Her amulet at her neck began to burn, and she cried out  
  
when it burned her skin. She closed her eyes. Immediately, she saw long golden hair flash  
  
before her eyes and then she saw emerald eyes, with tears pouring out of them.  
  
"POLGARA!" she heard a cry. The burning amulet became hotter, and the pushing wind wasn't  
  
stopping.  
  
Polgara fell to her knees, realizing it was a cry for help, "Beldaran!" she gasped, "B-B-  
  
Beldaran!" In fresh anger, she climbed to her feet and took hold of her Will, "Stop!" she  
  
ordered. The wind immediately stopped, startling her of the sudden quietness, and the cries of  
  
the birds that flew in the air.  
  
"Come out, sorcerer!" she ordered the person in the trees, "Do not be shy, for it is surely I  
  
you have come for! Come here---NOW!" her firm voice echoed in the fields, and her anger  
  
made her voice hiss like water thrown on fire.  
  
Quietness answered her order.  
  
Not a branch moved in the tree. A large hand suddenly grabbed her throat from behind, and a  
  
cold harsh voice whispered in her ear, "Here I am, witch." A low chuckle escaped her captor's  
  
throat that seemed to rumble.  
  
She reached for her Will.  
  
The man that held her suddenly slapped her on the back of the head, and she fell to the  
  
ground, noticing that she had just bit her tongue.  
  
She looked up at the man, and found out that she didn't know who or what he was, and met  
  
his dark green-eyed gaze. He towered above her, and his red travel stained cloak danced at  
  
his ankles when he bent down to grab the white lock of hair. Pulling her by the hair, he made  
  
her stand up. His smile frightened her.  
  
Again, she reached for her Will, and again he slapped her.  
  
He traced a finger up her back, making her arch slightly, and chuckled once more.  
  
Sudden anger jumped to his face and he kicked Polgara on the side of the stomach.  
  
He then felt a pull.  
  
"Ah!" he cried, then kicked her on the side of her abdomen again, "don't you know I can feel  
  
you try to use your Will?" The man bent down to her, and grabbed her hair.  
  
"Sorry, Polgara," he murmured, "But a man has to fulfill his job." She tried to reach for her  
  
Will, but couldn't grasp it. Her heart raced when she felt him touch her soft neck. Closing her  
  
eyes, she began to weep. Her cries would never reach her father. She closed her eyes as his  
  
fingers bruised her neck and arms (that he grabbed) and felt him tear her cloths with a sharp  
  
knife that he had drawn.  
  
She was only eighteen! She moaned in despair. She grabbed her warm amulet and whispered,  
  
"Beldaran," a tear rolled down her cheek; "Forgive me if I'm to late."  
  
Then she the stranger hurt her. Polgara closed her eyes as she felt his step on her leg with  
  
his boots.  
  
Am I going to die like this? She thought.  
  
"Polgara." she heard a whisper, "help me Polgara."  
  
If anything happened to Beldaran..  
  
She would be ruined! 


	4. Twins

Beldaran gazed at Polgara, her large eyes asking, sorrowful. "You. you didn't come, Pol." She  
  
whispered, her voice choked, "I waited. I waited so long.... In my prison of darkness.  
  
You....you never came for ME?"  
  
Polgara looked down at herself, she was bleeding, all over. Looking back at Beldaran, she  
  
cried, "How could I? HOW! Look at me! Look."  
  
"You could've tried at least... now my baby and I are dead. You told me you loved me. you  
  
said you needed me, yet you didn't come. Why?"  
  
Polgara reached for Beldaran, but her sister turned from her, "I'm dead and it's all your fault!  
  
You let me die Pol! You let my baby die! You failed us all!"  
  
Polgara paled, "you don't mean that.."  
  
"Yes I do!" Beldaran began to run away into the light, leaving Polgara in the darkness to cry.  
  
***************************************************************************  
  
Polgara awoke, aching. Her head raced. She was all bruised, all torn. She realized that she  
  
hung just inches above the ground, her hands tied to a pole on a ceiling above her. All her  
  
memory returned, and she screeched, like an injured child, wanting its mother. She struggled,  
  
but all hope was gone from her, all her wishes, dreams. Beldaran. She let her head hang in  
  
sorrow.  
  
But she suddenly stopped, in horror. She couldn't breath, her eyes were wide, and she was  
  
pale. All around her, on the floor, there were snakes, licking her toes, climbing her, some  
  
already on her shoulders. She looked around herself; she was in a small square room, alone  
  
with snakes of all sizes. Quickly she reached for her Will, and yelled "Fire!" all the snakes on  
  
the floor caught fire and she shook the horrible snakes off herself. Her wrists burned and with  
  
her Will she let herself free. On weak legs, she stood up, and limped around, trying to find an  
  
exit. But found none.  
  
She hit the walls, screaming to be let loose, but no one heard her cries.  
  
***************************************************************************  
  
Belgarath frowned. Where was Polgara?  
  
"Pol!" he yelled, shaking the large tree she always climbed in, "are you offended? Good!" he  
  
frowned again, "As your father, I command you to come out!"  
  
No reply.  
  
Beldin was suddenly behind him. "You want the girl to come out? Then don't hassle her!" then  
  
in a gruff voice he called up the tree, "Pol! Bring you big rump down here!"  
  
Again, no one replied. Where was she?  
  
Belgarath sighed, and then began to climb.  
  
"What do you think you're doing?" Beldin asked.  
  
"Are you blind?" Belgarath questioned, not looking back.  
  
Beldin glared, "No" he replied.  
  
"Then shut your trap."  
  
Beldin laughed, "Ah!" Belgarath blushed, but continued.  
  
A moment later, Belgarath, sounding confused, he called "She's not here!"  
  
"When was the last time you saw her?" Beldin asked.  
  
"A week ago."  
  
Beldin snorted, "She's probably gone to Beldaran!"  
  
Belgarath thought of the possibility. "Maybe.." He whispered as he struggled to get down.  
  
***************************************************************************  
  
Riva sat on his galloping stallion, his gray-blue eyes narrowed against the rush of wind.  
  
Beldaran's screams echoed in his mind, making his heart bleed in horror as his jaw ached from  
  
clenching. Where was she? Where was his beloved wife, his Queen? As he ran, he looked over  
  
at the crowd of people watching, and nearly reined in his stallion when he noticed an old man  
  
looking at him. The old man looked just like  
  
Belgarath, except his beard was more yellowish, unlike Belgarath's iron gray color. He  
  
continued. He didn't like the way the old man stared at him and his sword with the Orb.  
  
The old man watched, the hood of his gray cloak drawn up, just barely shadowing his eyes.  
  
Slowly, a smile twitched at the corners of his thin lips. When the Raven King was gone, with  
  
his loyal soldiers, the old man turned around, and with a swing of his hand, he shoved a little  
  
boy out of his path and walked away.  
  
She was here.  
  
Quickly he hurried to the woods, into the hidden area where he kept the Queen, the magical  
  
illusion he had created around it was hard for the human eye to see. Lying on a comfortable  
  
blanket on the floor, her eyes wide open, he noticed Beldaran. She neither blinked nor moved;  
  
he had put a spell over her, she was now in a trance, lost in her own mind.  
  
But his eyes went to the gruff looking man to the right of Beldaran. In his arms, he held  
  
Polgara, now a beautiful maiden. Like Beldaran, she was in a trance, eyes open. The old man  
  
opened another blanket next to Beldaran that he got from his horse, tied to a tree, also in the  
  
enchanted, invisible spell. The gruff looking man laid Polgara down, and then, the old man  
  
noticed something on the raven-haired beauty. He spun around to the big man and hit him in  
  
the face, hard.  
  
"Fool!" he roared, "I told you to bring her to me- not to abuse her! If Belgarath discovers this-  
  
we're doomed!"  
  
The Gruff man shrunk away from the sorcerer's wrath. "Forgive me Lord Zedar! Forgive me!"  
  
He wept.  
  
The old man chuckled, with the man groveling at his feet. He ignored his worries, for now.  
  
He got them! He got the Twins!  
  
Zedar laughed like a mad man, "Belgarath! Let's see how you act with both your daughter's  
  
gone?!" He said out loud, to no one in particular. 


	5. The Bride and the Foe

Beldaran... And Polgara...  
  
Belgarath frowned in annoyance.  
  
Where were they?  
  
Riva was going frantic, his usual calm attitude was gone, and now he paced the room, back  
  
and forward, he hadn't shaved his jaw for three days, and his eyes shifted everywhere, his  
  
hair a mess. Belgarath had heard the stories, and his mind raced to come to a conclusion.  
  
Beldin, after hearing the news, had transformed into a blue hawk, and had flown away,  
  
without a word.  
  
Belgarath stood in front of a window, lost in thought when a voice, so familiar, so soft and  
  
feminine, whispered next to his ear,  
  
"Everything and everyone has an opposite- who is your opposite, Old Wolf?"  
  
Belgarath spun around, and only found Riva, muttering to himself on a chair, his face in his  
  
hands, "She called for me... for me..and-and I wasn't there!" Belgarath caught him  
  
saying.  
  
Ignoring the muttering King, Belgarath looked around, frantic as Riva, but found no one.  
  
Poledra...  
  
Belgarath threw that out of his thoughts- No! Poledra was dead- she was.gone. NO! No! It  
  
wasn't her.  
  
But what did Aldur tell him when he received the news of her death?  
  
"Do not assume that what other's tell you is the truth, Belgarath; you never know when these  
  
kinds of things come to you."  
  
Belgarath took a deep breath, scratching his beard.  
  
Opposite.  
  
Who was his opposite-  
  
Zedar.  
  
The thought was sudden, but it felt so right.  
  
Of course! It had to be him-unless it was someone he had offended?  
  
Belgarath tried to think of other possibilities but the thought of Zedar always returned.  
  
He had to get to Zedar-but how? And where?  
  
***************************************************************************  
  
Beldaran gazed around at the darkness. Or thought she was gazing. It was too dark.  
  
The child in her womb went stiff because of her stress, she felt her self clenched all inside, and  
  
took deep breaths, trying to calm down. It took the child a while to loosen up.  
  
She was so worried, where on earth was she?!  
  
Her heart felt hollow as she thought she heard it, echoing all around her.  
  
"Am I dead?" she said aloud. "Is.is this how life is after death? So.dark.lonely." she felt the  
  
baby stiffen again, and began to calm down. She remembered everything- all her bad  
  
memories.  
  
Polgara, she remembered, had tried to punch their father when they were twelve. In return,  
  
Belgarath had slapped her- not lightly and not hard- but it made Polgara scream and howl at  
  
him-then se ran off to her tree.  
  
Another time, Polgara had broken her comb because Belgarath had locked all the doors so  
  
she couldn't run to her tree or complain to Belding-it had been Poledra's comb. The broken  
  
pieces were still in Belgaath's tower in the Vale.  
  
She remembered Riva complaining because his neck hurt, and he annoyed her so much that  
  
day, driving her into hysteria-one of the first times-and that was when the royal couple had  
  
gotten into their married fight. Fight.... The first real fight she had gotten into was with  
  
Polgara.  
  
Polgara had just gotten in a fight with Belgarath-over not wanting to eat- and, since Beldin  
  
had threatened Polgara not to say anything rude to Belgarath, she had run to their room and  
  
cried on Beldaran's shoulder, but when Beldaran tried to reason with her, Polgara got mad and  
  
had thrown Beldaran's stuff out the window- they had only been five, but it had gotten her so  
  
angry that she remembered it to this day.  
  
Then she remembered Riva running out of the room, and when she saw Zedar, saying some  
  
enchanting words to her as he jumped to take hold of her. it was moments later when she  
  
tried to call to Riva, but had gone unconscious... She had never seen Zedar before but Beldin  
  
had once explained to her and Polgara how he looked-just like their father. How could they  
  
ever forget that? Beldin had hoped they would though.  
  
She began to cry.  
  
Where was she? How will she ever be able to escape this prison?  
  
***************************************************************************  
  
Zedar gazed up at the horrifying sleeping form of the God he served, and slightly shivered.  
  
The torches around the cave he had brought the God into made the metal mask glow, and  
  
gave the feeling of death. He was going to die serving Torak, but he didn't mind-or did he?  
  
"My Lord," He said out loud to the enchanted, sleeping God, "I have brought you your bride  
  
and her future foe. Is there anything you wish me to do?" Torak's voice entered his mind:  
  
AWAKE THEM, ZEDAR. MAKE THEM FIGHT-LET ME HEAR MY BRIDE. 


	6. A Dark Goddess

Polgara had given up on pounding on the door less walls. Her sorcery did nothing. She had  
  
tried to blast the walls, but it had just pained her head-she had even fallen down to her knees  
  
in pain. The fried corpses of the snakes had disappeared, but it made her skin crawl when she  
  
thought of it. Beldaran raced through her mind as she thought and thought.  
  
Why had she called her?  
  
Was Beldaran in trouble?  
  
Why had her amulet burned so hot when the voice of Beldaran had screamed for her?  
  
For the first time in her life, she thought: Where's father?  
  
A tear ran down her cheek as she finally admitted to herself that she was alone in this.room.  
  
No one was going to help her, no one could find her in some place where she had no clue  
  
where she was. She shuddered, "I'm alone.. I'm so alone."  
  
"You don't have to be." came a strong, handsome voice.  
  
She looked up to see a ravishing man in front of her. He looked ageless, his black beard  
  
looking neat, and his blue eyes seemed to glow as he looked into her eyes. Holding out his  
  
hand, he said, "Polgara-do not be afraid. I'm here to help you. Come with me--- willingly---  
  
and I promise, you will never be alone. You will have no worries, you will get anything you  
  
want."  
  
She wiped her tears away, nervously.  
  
The handsome man walked forward, and with a simple wave of his hand, her ragged gown  
  
changed into a tissue gown, fit for a queen, that matched her beautiful eyes. Her raven black  
  
hair, with the white lock, where suddenly combed, smooth, and shined like they never shined  
  
before. Again, he offered her his hand, and then she took it.  
  
The white walls suddenly became shadows that cloaked the handsome man. He embraced her,  
  
and the shadows enveloped them both.  
  
Sudden coldness leaked into her pores, she shivered once, and when she opened her eyes,  
  
she stood in the embrace of her Lord. Torak raised his hand in triumph, "My bride has come!  
  
Hail to her-for she is your Goddess." His voice calmed her.  
  
She turned around in his arms and saw all kinds of people, bowing down to her saying,  
  
"Goddess Polgara-Bride of Darkness."  
  
Polgara raised her chin into the air in pride, a cold, sly smile spreading on her lips as she  
  
raised her eyebrow. "I like that." she whispered.  
  
Torak chuckled.  
  
***************************************************************************  
  
Zedar looked down at Polgara as she suddenly blinked, and sat up.  
  
As he looked at her, he felt frightened; she looked so odd, so. cold.  
  
She looked up at him with her icy blue eyes and stood up. "Go get me better cloths." She  
  
demanded.  
  
"Ah." He simply said, and told a servant nearby to get it for her.  
  
She wasn't Polgara anymore-she was now the Bride of Torak.  
  
Polgara snapped her fingers at him, "I'm hungry, go get me food."  
  
With a look from Zedar, another servant ran off.  
  
She strode forward, past Zedar and looked around at the cave. "What kind of a filthy place is  
  
this?" she asked, wrinkling her nose. "I despise the smell."  
  
Zedar stifled back a groan-she was after all his Master's beloved.  
  
A sudden thought came to her-"Where is Beldaran?"  
  
Zedar's lips twitched, "She is still awakening."  
  
Polgara's face was expressionless. "When she awakens-bring her to me."  
  
The old sorcerer smiled at his niece.  
  
***************************************************************************  
  
"Beldaran-you must listen to me!" came Poledra's voice within the darkness of Beldaran's  
  
vision.  
  
"M-Mother?" she called.  
  
"S-Something's wrong with Polgara-you must be careful of her! She is not herself! She will try  
  
to destroy you-and that must not happen! Understand? Do you understand what I am telling  
  
you?" Poledra's voice seemed to echo.  
  
"Pol's going to try to kill me?" Beldaran asked in disbelief.  
  
"As I said-she is not herself!"  
  
Beldaran suddenly opened her eyes, and saw Zedar kneeling down, looking at her.  
  
He smirked.  
  
She realized she lay on the floor, and turned her head and gaped.  
  
Polgara sat upon a large dragon throne, she wore cloths that were so beautiful, making her  
  
look so enchanting. But Poledra was right.  
  
Something was wrong and different about her. "Kill the child in her womb, Zedar." Polgara  
  
said suddenly.  
  
Beldaran gasped in horror, "Polgara!"  
  
She quickly stood up, and saw Zedar, she felt the pull as he drew his Will.  
  
Beldaran embraced her swollen belly protectively and screeched, "No!" 


	7. Helpless

Belgarath gasped in pain.  
  
Riva, he noticed, was crouched by his side, holding his shoulders.  
  
It was nearing night fall since his amulet had begun to burn with fire against his skin.  
  
And it was four days since he had reached Riva to realize both his daughters were  
  
missing. The king Riva, who had been worrying over him for the past day or so, was  
  
asking him something, for Belgarath saw his lips moving, but he heard nothing.  
  
The fire in the amulet was still burning. Everything was mute when he heard off in a  
  
distance, the crying of a woman. And the image of Poledra flashed into his mind.  
  
She sat on the ground, her light brown gown piled around her, surrounding her. Her  
  
beautiful face was hidden behind her hands and her shoulders shook as she wept, her  
  
honey-golden hair pulled back in a simple braid. "No..." he heard her cry, "Polgara...  
  
don't do this.... Beldaran is your sister... Torak is not your God-- he is your enemy!"  
  
The image of Poledra vanished, and her words fell on Belgarath like the weight of Hell.  
  
He realized his amulet was now cool against his skin, and Riva was frowning at him as  
  
servants dashed out of the room to fetch something Riva had told them to get.  
  
"Belgarath?" Riva called.  
  
Belgarath pulled his eyes away from his amulet and looked at his beloved daughter's  
  
husband, "What is it?" he asked.  
  
"Polgara has turned to the dark side?" Riva tried to stay calm, but Belgarath saw the fear  
  
hidden deep in his eyes.  
  
"What?" Belgarath asked in a unhearable whisper.  
  
"Y-you said it-- just now."  
  
"What did I say?"  
  
Riva cleared his throat, "You said: Polgara's now the Bride... Beldaran is the Foe..."  
  
Belgarath stood up, followed by Riva, "Forget what I said." He demanded.  
  
Riva argued, "How could I forget what you just said?! My wife and unborn child are in  
  
danger, and you're telling me to forget about it?!" The vein in his forehead popped out in  
  
his rising anger.  
  
"Calm down! Your wife happens to be my daughter-- or did you forget that, King of  
  
Riva?"  
  
Riva shivered at the sound of anger in the sorcerer's voice, but he held his ground.  
  
Deep down in his heart, Riva wanted to cry. Beldaran... she had called for him, and for  
  
the first time in his life, he felt helpless to help. And now, Beldaran's sister was going to  
  
destroy her--what was Polgara thinking? Did she have sense to what she was doing or  
  
whom she was doing it to? If his unborn child died, Riva knew he would destroy Polgara  
  
himself-- and that was without the Orb.  
  
But Polgara was a sorceress... he... he couldn't fight her... he was simply... helpless...  
  
Riva opened his mouth to argue again, scream at the man who had created his wife, and  
  
his anger burned his throat, turned his face all red, and made him block everything out  
  
except for his hatred for the sorceress Polgara at that very moment.  
  
Belgarath felt all of Riva's feelings, saw it on his face, and felt sadness.  
  
He was helpless too...  
  
Before Riva could say anything, the door of the room slammed open, and Beldin hobbled  
  
in, "Belgarath," he said, "Get ready-- i know where the girls are." 


	8. Aldur's Fire

Polgara sat still.  
  
Like a predetor, watching it's prey.  
  
She sat upon the dragon throne, her arms resting on the arms of the throne calmly. Her  
  
flowing gown of darkness hissed around her, at the hem, it was smoke, slithering  
  
everywhere like a snake. Her raven black hair fell all over her shoulders, pouring down  
  
like silk, and the white lock of her hair changed her dark beauty into something ancient.  
  
Even though her expression was blank, her cold gray eyes laughed into the eyes of her  
  
sister's with her back straight.  
  
Beldaran stood there, looking at Polgara in horror and disbelief.  
  
The Riva Queen was pale; she trembled in her rising anger as her arms were wrapped  
  
around her swollen belly. Her golden hair was a mess, but her emerald eyes held the pride  
  
of a Queen. Polgara, her twin sister, was doing this to her... she was going to ruin her  
  
life...  
  
Polgara was the sorceress of them both, and Beldaran was the Queen.  
  
But now, Polgara wasn't just a sorceress any longer...  
  
She was a Goddess.  
  
Torak's Goddess--  
  
Torak's BRIDE.  
  
It was silent in the hall that they stood in. So heavy was the silence that it raked  
  
Beldaran's mind with screaming question's that needed answer's, and rose the fear in her  
  
heart. In her fear, the child in her womb went stiff, clencing her womb together. It pained  
  
her.  
  
She was in fear, and so was the child.  
  
Looking over to her right, Beldaran saw the advancing Zedar.  
  
He looked so much like her beloved father, that it revolted her to know that a "look-alike"  
  
of Belgarath was going to destroy her unborn child. Her mouth went all dry, the color to  
  
her lips vanished, and the fire in her eyes blazed. Like thunder, her heart beat hard, that  
  
she thought it echoed in the empty hall, and because of her heart, the baby was so stiff of  
  
fear, like it's mother.  
  
She was going to die!  
  
Beldaran knew it...  
  
Her child will die first, and then her. She was going to die with the feeling of loss, hatred,  
  
betrayal, and so much sorrow... Was this her destiny? Was this her end? Was this the end  
  
of the Rivan Queen and the Rivan Heir?  
  
She had to fight.  
  
Beldaran straightened her shoulders, but her arms never left her belly, and stood up  
  
straight. She turned to Zedar in anger and lashed out her arm, a strict finger pointing.  
  
"Take one more step Zedar and I vow right now that your fate will not be pretty!"  
  
Her voice cracked like thunder, and from the corner of her eye, Beldaran noticed Polgara  
  
smile.  
  
Zedar chuckled.  
  
"Fear me Zedar, for i AM the daughter of Belgarath, disciple of Aldur, and if I die-- you  
  
die..."  
  
Zedar still chuckled, but when she had said those words, he had choked.  
  
But he advanced.  
  
So close was he that she smelt his breath upon her face.  
  
Zedar made a fist, and it began to glow like an orange-yellow sun. He stepped closer, as  
  
his arm drew back, for the fatal punch to her womb.  
  
Beldaran jumped back as the glowing fist flew towards her. At last, she called for her  
  
only hope--  
  
"ALDUR!"  
  
A sudden blast of white-blue light pushed Beldaran away on the floor as something  
  
burned.  
  
Beldaran covered her eyes by the wihte fire that blazed so bright, and crouched low upon  
  
her belly protectivly. But she heard something, besides the sizzling lightening fire.  
  
Screams...  
  
The noise was screams...  
  
Then all there was was the sizzeling of the God Aldur...  
  
No more screams...  
  
No whisper..  
  
In sudden fear, Beldaran called out:  
  
"Polgara?" 


	9. The Gown of Heaven

Polgara watched everything from upon her throne.  
  
At the name of Aldur, she wanted to cry out in fear.  
  
She was suddenly frightened.  
  
What had she done?  
  
Why?  
  
Aldur..no! He will kill her for almost ruining the heir of Riva.  
  
She definitely was frightened.  
  
But not because He was going to harm her, but because she was in fear for what she  
  
might do next if he didn't stop her.  
  
She needed to be herself again.  
  
But if she did become herself, how would she ever be able to face her family?  
  
She almost killed her sister!  
  
Tears stung Polgara's pale eyes as she gasped for air.  
  
If she didn't become herself, she would've killed her family, and become another slave of the  
  
Dragon God, Torak.  
  
The white fire suddenly enveloped Zedar, and off to the side, Polgara saw Beldaran suddenly  
  
get pushed out of the way of the fire by an unseen force. As Beldaran hit the floor, she  
  
quickly crouched over her belly, breathing hard.  
  
Polgara suddenly came to herself, out of the fog that had clouded her mind in some odd spell,  
  
and jumped up from the throne as she called out---  
  
"Beldaran!"  
  
But a sudden screaming caught her attention, and noticed it was Zedar burning for what he  
  
had done. But the fire began to blaze brighter that she couldn't see anything. She watched in  
  
horror as the fire of Aldur expanded, reaching out to her.  
  
The coldness radiating from Aldur's anger-filled fire held her in place and in her fear, she stood  
  
there, watching wide eyed.  
  
Polgara felt a sudden tightness in her pores.  
  
Clenching her teeth, she screeched in fear as she fell to her knees.  
  
"Forgive me Aldur! Forgive me!"  
  
She raised her stiff arms up, pleadingly to the heavens above.  
  
No one answered her pleas.  
  
Then suddenly, it was light.  
  
No fire.  
  
No throne.  
  
No darkness.  
  
And no screams.  
  
All there was was light.  
  
Polgara noticed her gown that was once pure black was now the color of the Orb.  
  
So heavenly.  
  
Where she belonged.  
  
The gown swirled with the blue and white colors, as the hem of her gown, still smoking,  
  
seemed to thunder with lightening. Seeming to tell her the mood Aldur was in. Without  
  
knowing why, she felt the silent anger of the God. She quickly looked up again, and saw Aldur.  
  
Polgara ran to him and fell to her knees and bowed her head, right in front of him.  
  
She realized she was crying.  
  
"Forgive me... Please Aldur... I-I didn't know what I was doing..."  
  
"You are still young Polgara..." Quietly said Aldur, "You have much to learn and live.  
  
Now, gather yourself and get up, for you have a sister to save."  
  
Polgara jumped to her feet. "Beldaran!" She gasped, "Where is she?"  
  
"Beldaran is but a Queen to humans, not a sorceress like you. Only immortals can  
  
enter this void of peace."  
  
Only immortals.  
  
The harshness of the fact that she was immortal and Beldaran was mortal crushed at her  
  
aching heart that she felt hot tears swell in her eyes.  
  
"Aldur..." she whispered, "What have I done?"  
  
He said, and did nothing.  
  
Just stared.  
  
She heard his quiet anger, and sighed.  
  
She deserved death.  
  
Not beloved Beldaran.  
  
"Go now, and rescue the Holder of the Orb that is in the womb of your sister Polgara,  
  
and save them quick--" His face and voice went grave, "-- for there is not much time."  
  
Suddenly the light and Aldur vanished.  
  
Was this all he was going to say?  
  
No forgiveness?  
  
Polgara realized she stood in front of the dragon throne, looking at nothing.  
  
She saw Zedar's corpse on the floor, charred by the fire.  
  
But, besides his corpse, everything was gone.  
  
The white-blue fire was gone--  
  
And so was Beldaran...  
  
The sorceress noticed her new gown glowed, giving her the Orb's light in the darkness of  
  
the hall.  
  
"B-Beldaran?"  
  
Her dry throat hurt, but the growing fear for her sister rose.  
  
Where was she?  
  
Polgara ran down the dais, and a sudden voice echoed in her mind.  
  
"ZEDAR! AWAKEN---THE QUEEN IS GETTING AWAY!"----Zedar's charred corpses slightly  
  
moved, in fear, Polgara's eyes bulged----"POLGARA!" Torak's voice cried in her mind.  
  
She realized her mind was still connected to his. Somehow she had to rid herself of the  
  
contact!  
  
"WHERE ARE YOU GOING POLGARA?" Torak called, "YOU ARE MY BRIDE-MY GODDESS!  
  
WHERE ARE-----?"  
  
"NO!" Polgara screeched, cutting him off.  
  
Silence then.  
  
Zedar's corpse moaned.  
  
Eighteen-year-old Polgara screamed.  
  
Lifting her glowing gown, she ran.  
  
"Beldaran?!" She cried.  
  
What answered her was the sound of Zedar standing up. 


	10. Father

Beldaran ran.  
  
She knew she ran slowly, but she did her best.  
  
Where was Polgara?!  
  
What had happened to her?  
  
Tears of desperation rolled down the Queens cheeks. The child in her womb moved and it  
  
pained her, she was in great pain. She hadn't eaten in a while, much less drink anything.  
  
Harsh ragged breaths escaped her throat.  
  
Where was she?  
  
Looking around, she saw only darkness and jagged walls.  
  
Was it a cave? It looked like it.  
  
She still wore her nightgown, from the day she had been kidnapped, and the sheer cloth  
  
chilled her. Her long messy hair fell into her eyes, and made tears pour out faster.  
  
"What's going on?!" cried a voice ahead of her in the darkness.  
  
Beldaran came to a stop and clung to the wall, hoping she hid well with her dark green  
  
nightgown.  
  
"The Goddess has come to her senses it seems. She destroyed Lord Zedar with her  
  
sorcery!" Came another panic-stricken voice.  
  
"Her wrath will be great! We must get out of here before she destroys us all!"  
  
"No!" Came another call, a little further then theses voice that spoke before. "You  
  
pathetic servants! Go and clean something. If anyone leaves, I will cut you slowly with  
  
my blade!"  
  
"Y-yes sir!"  
  
Then the two servants that were speaking ran off.  
  
With horror, Beldaran heard someone walking closer to her.  
  
The person's boots boomed against the floor like thunder, echoing.  
  
She held her breath, hoping her breathing wasn't heard.  
  
Closing her eyes, Beldaran clung to the wall even more. Where was Pol?  
  
The boots came closer, and they came ever so close that a tear of horror rolled out of her  
  
tightly closed eye.  
  
"Ah....." came a harsh voice. "There you are, Beldaran."  
  
Her heart jumped, and her insides turned to ice. Fearfully, she opened her eyes, and saw a  
  
Grolim standing there, looking at her.  
  
Dark black eyes looked into her heart, and she gasped as he came foward for her.  
  
"No....." she whispered.  
  
************************************************************************ ]  
  
Polgara turned around to look at Zedar who had just risen from the dead at Torak's order.  
  
As she watched, the burns and blisters on Zedar's face faded and disappeared. And his  
  
hair and beard that had sizzled away, grew back to what it was once.  
  
He smiled.  
  
"I see you've turned back to the foul lies of Aldur." He sneered.  
  
"Lies?" Polgara said, acidly.  
  
Zedar glanced at her glowing gown.  
  
"What are you wearing?" he asked, frowning at the lightening that came from the hem.  
  
Polgara backed away.  
  
Zedar shivered suddenly, and an evil glint, more evil then usual, came to his eyes.  
  
"POLGARA...." Came Torak's voice through Zedar's lips. "What does Aldur offer you?  
  
Nothing. I offer you glory, Polgara, and I offer you to be a Goddess--- my Bride. Why do  
  
you go to him?" It wasn't a question.  
  
Polgara grasped her amulet for protection, "Oh, Father! Help us!" She whispered.  
  
"Us?" Torak laughed through Zedar, "Ha! I can tell you right now that Beldaran is dead."  
  
Polgara's anger raged like a storm within her.  
  
She turned around and began to run, knowing that Torak would stop her.  
  
And he did.  
  
She suddenly hit an unseen wall and fell to the floor.  
  
Torak/Zedar laughed.  
  
Quickly standing up, she looked at the man possessed by a God, and stood her ground.  
  
The white lock of her hair glowed and her gray eyes pierced the God's forsaken eyes.  
  
With no expression upon Zedar's face, he walked foward, his eyes glowing yellow.  
  
"Fire!" Polgara cried, using her will.  
  
A wall of fire suddenly appeared, separating Polgara Zedar's from body and the God's  
  
spirit.  
  
But he walked through the fire, darkness riding at his shoulders.  
  
Polgara shrunk away and felt the unseen wall behind her, then held her breath.  
  
Zedar's hand slashed out and grabbed Polgara from her hair and he closed his eyes.  
  
"Come to me willingly Polgara! Don't think I cannot force you to!" He ordered.  
  
Coldness closed upon her, and rattled her. All the warmth escaped her and she fell to her  
  
knees.  
  
Then, as she began to slip away, she heard a cry, "Leave my sister alone you foul GOD!"  
  
Has Beldaran come back for her?  
  
Torak laughed.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
Beldaran saw, in horror, as Polgara began to tremble, turn deathly pale, and fall to her  
  
knees. The enchanting gown she wore glowed brighter, as if it knew she were dying. The  
  
Grolim that held her tightly from behind let her go, and without caring, Beldaran ran  
  
foward and cried out to the God in anger.  
  
Torak in Zedar's body threw back his head and laughed, but didn't let Polgara go.  
  
As Beldaran watched in horror, Polgara's eyes pleaded with the God.  
  
He just shook her head with the lock of hair he had in his hand. "Polgara....." He sighed,  
  
looking down at her, "Do not worry. You will die, I will resurrect you, and you will come  
  
back to me with a black heart, and will be mine forever!"  
  
"No!" Beldaran screeched.  
  
Running foward, she stretched her hands out like claws and clenched her teeth.  
  
But as she ran, her eyes flashed to Polgara, and in sudden loss, she saw Polgara fall to the  
  
floor, dead or unconscious, she didn't know. But her gown grew brighter that Zedar  
  
reeled away, and Torak cried out as if in pain.  
  
"Beldaran!" Someone familiar cried from behind.  
  
But Beldaran couldn't take her eyes off of Polgara.  
  
She ran on and didn't stop.  
  
From the corner of her eye, she saw Zedar's eyes open wide, and Torak gasped through  
  
his lips, "NO!"  
  
Falling to her knees before Polgara, Beldaran bent down and cradled her immortal sister's  
  
head in her lap.  
  
She was so cold.  
  
Cold as a grave.  
  
Beldaran knew right then, that Polgara was dead.  
  
She realized she was crying out loud, crying for her sister to awaken.  
  
Looking over, she saw Zedar and her Uncle Beldin fighting, obviously Torak had left,  
  
and she noticed the Grolim that had caught her, lay on the floor, dead, and standing over  
  
his corpse stood Belgarath. They came! But... too late.  
  
Stretching out a hand, she cried, "FATHER! Polgara's dead! Father do something!  
  
Please!"  
  
Belgarath was already looking at them.  
  
And when the words left her lips, he grew pale, and closed his eyes.  
  
How could this happen?  
  
Why did it happen?  
  
The Queen of Riva looked down at her sister, and closed her own eyes. A single tear  
  
rolled down her cheek and fell off her chin, and landed on Polgara's cheekbone.  
  
Then, she prayed upon the Gods for their help, and felt calm, even though her sister lay  
  
dead in her arms.  
  
The moment the tear struck the sorceress, a dry voice in Beldaran's mind whispered,  
  
"Done."  
  
The bright glow of the gown Polgara wore grew brighter, until the glow swallowed  
  
Polgara and Beldaran.  
  
Belgarath shielded his eyes, and when he looked back, there was no one there. 


	11. Resurrection

Aldur sighed.  
  
Lost in the mazes of the mind of Queen Beldaran, he grasped her conscious, and took  
  
over.  
  
The mortal part of Beldaran fell silent as the immortal part of her, her spirit, awoke,  
  
which would stay with her immortal sister forever.  
  
Through Beldaran's enchanting emerald eyes, Aldur gazed up at Polgara who stood  
  
before him.  
  
Polgara, standing in a white gown took a deep breath and said, "Beldaran, where are we?"  
  
"Beldaran isn't here, Polgara." Aldur replied with the sweet voice of Beldaran.  
  
Polgara frowned in wonder when Beldaran's soft lips curved into a silent smile.  
  
Polgara gazed around and saw light.  
  
And the peace she had felt earlier when she had come here.  
  
"Aldur?" Polgara asked.  
  
Beldaran's face lightened, and crossed her arms before her chest, lightly resting on her  
  
swollen belly, and said in a sinister voice, "Yes."  
  
"What is going on?"  
  
"You are dead Polgara." Aldur said.  
  
Silence then.  
  
"But you are not to die, Polgara. You have many years before you, for which you are  
  
needed for, but this was not to happen." Aldur smiled. "With the help of my family,"  
  
Aldur said, and suddenly all the Gods---except Torak--- appeared, "we will make you live  
  
again. But it is a one time thing, Polgara. And it will cost greatly."  
  
Polgara sighed. Then a question came to her, "Why are you not here Aldur? Why are you speaking through Beldaran?"  
  
"Your sister may be mortal, but she has a child in her womb which has the essence of my  
  
Orb. With the power of the Orb, we need to draw it from the child and awaken your  
  
corpse. Do you understand Polgara?"  
  
Polgara nodded, and fell to one knee before all the Gods.  
  
Looking over Beldaran's shoulder, Aldur smiled at his siblings, and in the language of  
  
the Gods, he asked if they were ready.  
  
"Yes" they all replied.  
  
UL began to glow, and with him, everyone else did too.  
  
Looking back at the kneeling sorceress, Beldaran's lips curved into a smile so full of  
  
feeling that Polgara felt it, as she gazed at her sister's feet.  
  
The void began to hum then, and with that, Beldaran began to glow.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
Zedar reeled away, and ran. Beldin surprisingly, ran after him, running faster then Zedar  
  
himself.  
  
Belgarath just watched though.  
  
Behind him stood Riva.  
  
At the request of Belgarath, he had not brought the Orb, in case Torak got his hands on it.  
  
Soldiers of Torak rushed into the throne room, baring steel.  
  
Riva ran in to fight, but anyone who came close to harming either Beldin or Riva,  
  
Belgarath flicked his hand and used his Will. Either his victim would suffer, or die on the  
  
spot, he didn't mind any longer. First his wife died, and now Polgara, and Beldaran was  
  
now missing.  
  
What on earth was going on?  
  
It was suddenly a blood curdling feeling that made Belgarath turn around.  
  
His arm and neck hairs stood on end when he saw an eye.  
  
In the wall, all jagged, there was a whole, and from that whole, Belgarath saw an eye. It  
  
was too big to be a human eye, and it was round, the whites of the lone eye seeming to  
  
glow in the darkness, and as he looked deeper into the eye, he saw no pupils for the eye  
  
was pitch black. Frowning, Belgarath stared, and noticed the eye never blinked or looked  
  
away from his face. He wasn't even sure if it had eyelids!  
  
Beldin cried in anger suddenly, and Belgarath looked.  
  
Beldin, as Belgarath watched, plunged a dagger into the throat of a soldier. And noticed  
  
Zedar on the floor, with Riva's blade at his throat. Only three soldiers remained from the  
  
fifteen that had come.  
  
Quickly, Belgarath looked back at the eye, and didn't see the whole where the eye had  
  
been because the creature that owned that eye, stood right in front of him, at least six feet  
  
tall, with horns twisting on it's human shaped head. In fact, the creature looked human,  
  
with a human face (nose, lips), the only thing was that it had glossy black skin, horns, and  
  
instead of two eyes, it had only one, the size of a child's fist.  
  
With a flash of his Will, he yelled, "Away!"  
  
The thing just laughed, and Belgarath noticed human teeth.  
  
But sorcery didn't work on this thing?  
  
The thing reached out, and grabbed Belgarath's throat, and slowly lifted him off the  
  
ground with one hand. "I am the Demon Prince of the Underworld," it growled, "and you  
  
will be my dinner, Belgarath, Disciple of Aldur."  
  
"Let him go." Came two female voices at the same time.  
  
The Demon looked away from the sorcerer in his grasp, and looked at the two who had  
  
spoken.  
  
It's lips curled in a sneer, and tossed Belgarath away from himself, and strode away.  
  
On the floor, Belgarath looked up as he coughed, and gazed at the beautiful daughters of  
  
his.  
  
Both sisters wore all white, and glowed, and they both had their arms crossed before  
  
them.  
  
Belgarath nearly rose off the ground as he began to fear for the twins.  
  
But as the Demon approached them, they raised their eyebrows, "How dare you strike  
  
upon my disciple, Demon!" Beldaran roared.  
  
"How dare you come into this world and live!" Polgara's voice thundered.  
  
Together then, as the dark throne room darkened with their anger, they said gravely,  
  
"How dare you enter OUR world!"  
  
At the same time, they uncrossed their arms and stretched them out towards the Demon,  
  
and fire, of all colors, burned out of their fingertips to engulf the creature before them.  
  
Belgarath sighed in relief.  
  
He wasn't looking at his twin daughters; he was looking at the Gods.  
  
The Demon screeched, as a loud pop was heard.  
  
Belgarath realized it was the Demons large eye that had exploded.  
  
Screaming in pain, the dark prince raised his tense arms to the ceiling of the room as it  
  
melted on the floor, it's black blood hitting the floor as it fell to its knees.  
  
Again, at the same time, the twins impeded their Godly Flame and lowered their arms to  
  
their sides, and watched with empty expressions as the Demon moaned one last time, it's  
  
charred glossy skin cracking, and died. Beldaran turned to Belgarath and approached  
  
him, "Get up Belgarath." She said.  
  
Standing up, Belgarath said, "Thank you, Aldur."  
  
Beldaran's face lightened, "Take care of Polgara, Belgarath. I told you once, and I'll say it  
  
again, she is greatly needed in the years to come. And Beldaran must live for the rest of  
  
her mortal days, for it is her child that will destroy my brother. We have taken care of the  
  
resurrection that took place in my void. The cost was great, Belgarath. Do not let it  
  
happen again."  
  
Belgarath bowed to his daughter.  
  
"Beware, Belgarath. The price we took without the Orb's presence, made us take a  
  
sacrifice that was written in the Prophecy. The children of Riva will meet great difficulty  
  
in the future. Stay on guard."  
  
Belgarath nodded, and looked over at Riva, who stood to far to hear, but gapped at his  
  
wife.  
  
Beldaran gasped as the spirit of Aldur left her, a rush of wind hitting her.  
  
"Beldaran." Belgarath sighed as he embraced her.  
  
In response, she hid her face in his shoulder and wept. "You're here." She whispered.  
  
"Oh, Beldaran." Belgarath said, as he stroked her shining golden hair, "You're okay  
  
now."  
  
Over her shaking shoulders, he saw Polgara.  
  
Polgara looked at her father, longing for a hug, which she got when Beldaran saw her  
  
husband, and ran towards him. 


	12. Beldaran

Polgara gazed at Riva in anguish, "Forgive me," She said, "I was not myself. But," She  
  
searched for words that never came.  
  
Beldaran was there suddenly. "Pol," She said, "there is nothing to forgive. You were not  
  
yourself, you were Darkness. It wasn't you fault."  
  
Polgara shed a tear, "Beldaran, what would I ever do without you?" She cried, falling into  
  
her sister's embrace.  
  
They were on the road to Riva, and all were worn out of the past week.  
  
Belgarath ordered them on their horses, and rode on ahead with Beldin. Riva helped his  
  
wife on his saddle, and got on behind her as Polgara mounted her own white mare.  
  
"Polgara," Riva said in his deep voice, "I agree with Beldaran. There was nothing to  
  
forgive."  
  
He waited for the sorceress to ride on ahead, and moved on behind at the rear.  
  
Closing her eyes, Polgara drew the hood of her sapphire cloak, hiding her face in shadow,  
  
and wept. With her eyes closed, she fell into the depths of her mind.  
  
Polgara suddenly saw herself in her mother's embrace. A blanket of love surrounded her,  
  
as she felt herself sway in sleep. Hot tears melted onto her mothers shoulder, as Poledra  
  
stroked her daughter's raven black hair.  
  
Her mind came at peace with itself as she slept in her mother's arm. The way she had  
  
dreamed for years.  
  
"Mother," She whispered.  
  
Poledra kissed her forehead. "Sleep, Polgara. Sleep."  
  
Opening her eyes, Polgara saw that the sun was setting, as her father and uncle reined in  
  
their horses. Reining in her own horse, Polgara smiled to herself.  
  
She was back, and was at peace with herself.  
  
************************************************************************  
  
Gazing over the river of Aldur, Polgara sighed.  
  
Memories of her past never let her be.  
  
Beldaran was still with her, but not in the living.  
  
She had died years ago, but she was still alive, in Polgara's heart.  
  
Beldaran was the remembered, first Queen of Riva, and forever would she be  
  
remembered. Closing her blue eyes, Polgara once again saw Beldaran's gem- like green  
  
eyes, long golden hair and beautiful smile that etched itself in Polgara's heart. The little  
  
time she had spent with her sister had been worth the sorrow she bore now.  
  
The day Beldaran had died, Polgara had felt herself die. She had been torn forever, and  
  
no one could cure her of that. The light had died in her heart until the spirit of her wolf-  
  
mother had come to her, to comfort her of her sorrow. But her sorrow would never leaver  
  
her.  
  
Never was forever for her.  
  
And now, she would spend centuries with only memories to remind her of her mortal  
  
twin, and the smell Beldaran always smelt like: like rose blossoms.  
  
Smiling, Polgara sighed and looked down.  
  
Iction, the heir to the Rivan Throne gazed at her, his emerald eyes looking in her eyes,  
  
asking questions. Smiling, Polgara stroked the ten year-olds head lovingly, "Go to sleep."  
  
She said.  
  
Iction shook his head, his curly golden hair falling into his eyes, making him blink  
  
rapidly, then he smiled at her, two dimples at each cheek.  
  
"Silly boy," She chided, putting the child in her lap. Wrapping her arms around the little  
  
boy, she closed her eyes tightly, and wept silently.  
  
"Aunt Pol?" He asked.  
  
"Yes dear?"  
  
"Why are you crying?"  
  
Smiling, she sighed, "Nothing." Picking him up in her arms, she carried him to his room,  
  
silently passing his parents bedroom. Placing him in his bed, she tucked him in.  
  
Leaning forward, she planted a kiss on his cheek, and stroked his hair back.  
  
Leaving the boy, she left the room and went to her own room to gaze out.  
  
The moon burned down at her, in the lonely darkness she lived in.  
  
All she did was stare at the moon.  
  
A sound behind her brought her to her senses, "Iction, go to sleep." She said, without  
  
looking back.  
  
"Why so sad, Pol?" Came Belgarath's voice.  
  
Turning around quickly, she raced to her father, embracing him tightly, "I'm so lonely  
  
father." She said.  
  
He hugged her back, feeling his own sorrow.  
  
Looking over his shoulder, Polgara saw Poledra smiling at her, glowing blue.  
  
A sob of great sorrow escaped her throat, and tears fled down her cheeks.  
  
Belgarath led her to her own bed, and tucked his immortal daughter in.  
  
Stroking her hair out of her face, Belgarath waited until his daughter fell asleep.  
  
Raising from her bed, he strode out of the room and saw Iction gazing at him. "Who are  
  
you?" The boy asked.  
  
Ruffling the boys hair, Belgarath replied, "No one. Get some sleep young man." Then left.  
  
The next morning, Polgara awoke, and hurried out of her room when she heard Iction  
  
crying. "What's wrong?" She asked.  
  
He shook his head, laughing, as he saw her frightened face.  
  
"You know," she murmured, "Your father's a merchant, so," thinking, she said, "I'll  
  
make you a.. lawyer."  
  
Iction frowned at her, "Huh?"  
  
"Huh?" She asked, "What is the right word?"  
  
"I mean... Pardon?"  
  
Polgara smiled at the boy, squeezing his cheek affectionately, "You have much to learn  
  
young man."  
  
He pouted.  
  
Taking him into her arms, she kissed his dimpled cheek, then wrinkled her nose, "But  
  
first," she said, "you REALLY need a bath." 


End file.
